Call for Consultancy: Field Research and Survey Consultant _at Ethio-Friends Foundation for Refugees

General Information

Background

The Ethio-Friends Foundation for Refugees (EFFR) is implementing an eCommerce Project to assess household-level digital access, consumer behavior, and socio-economic factors influencing eCommerce adoption. To generate robust evidence, a field survey of 400 households will be conducted across Addis Ababa and Gambella.

The survey will provide critical insights to guide programmatic interventions, policy recommendations, and strategies to strengthen digital inclusion and economic participation.

Organizational overview

Ethio-Friends Foundation for Refugees (EFFR) was established in 2022 and registered on January 13, 2023, as the first legally registered Refugee-Led Organization (RLO) in Ethiopia. It serves as a humanitarian and rights-based response to support the more than 1.1 million refugees and asylum seekers currently in Ethiopia.

These populations face severe challenges due to protracted crises and the global decline in funding. Our foundation is committed to promoting human rights and advocacy, providing sustainable livelihoods, offering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and achieving gender equality while addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV). We serve as a steadfast voice for the voiceless among both refugees and host communities.

Our Partners: We take great pride in working alongside major national and international stakeholders, including the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), UNHCR, Inkomoko, DRC, JRS, Oxfam GB, Refugee Self Reliance Initiative (RSRI) and the Hilton Foundation, in addition to various UN agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Purpose of the Assignment

The consultant will be directly contracted by EFFR to plan, conduct, and complete the household survey. This includes managing all stages of the survey process from enumerator recruitment and training, to field data collection, data processing, and reporting ensuring methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and timely delivery of results.

Scope of Work

The consultant will carry out the survey and deliver the following tasks:

• Survey Planning and Preparation
  • Develop a detailed survey plan and budget, including timelines and logistics.
  • Finalize survey instruments and protocols in consultation with EFFR and partners.
• Recruitment and Training of Enumerators
  • Participate in the selection of qualified enumerators with relevant field experience.
  • Deliver training on the questionnaire, ethical standards, and data collection protocols.
• Field Data Collection
  • Supervise enumerators during fieldwork and ensure adherence to sampling design.
  • Address challenges in real time to maintain data quality.
• Data Processing and Analysis
  • Clean, validate, and process collected data using statistical software (SPSS, STATA, or R).
  • Conduct analysis to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights.

Reporting and Dissemination

• Submit periodic progress reports during fieldwork.
• Produce a comprehensive final report including methodology, findings, and recommendations.
• Support dissemination workshops with stakeholders.

Deliverables

• Inception Report (methodology, sampling strategy, and work plan).
• Training Materials for enumerators.
• Progress Reports during fieldwork.
• Clean Dataset (validated and ready for analysis).
• Final Analytical Report (findings, conclusions, and recommendations).

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics, or related field.
• Proven experience in household surveys and field research in Ethiopia.
• Strong skills in data analysis using software such as SPSS, STATA, or R.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and coordinate multi-site fieldwork.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Amharic (knowledge of Refugees language/s is an asset).

Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report directly to the Project Manager at EFFR. No intermediary agency will be involved.

Ethical Considerations

• Obtain informed consent from all participants.
• Ensure confidentiality and secure data handling.
• Comply with national and international research ethics standards.

Section: Financial Proposal and Pricing Structure

The Consultant is required to submit a comprehensive financial proposal based on a deliverable‑based payment schedule. In alignment with EFFR program standards, the pricing structure must be broken down according to the following survey phases:

Phase 1: Protocol Development

The Consultant shall provide a daily rate and number of days for the protocol development phase. This must include all costs associated with the design of data collection tools, methodology finalization, and the technical training of the survey team members.

Phase 2: Fieldwork and Data Collection

The Consultant shall provide a daily rate and number of days for field supervision and data collection. This rate must cover all oversight of field activities, including observations, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs).

Phase 3: Data Analysis and Reporting

The Consultant shall provide a daily rate and number of days for the data analysis and final report writing phase.

Note: Payments will be processed upon the successful completion and technical approval of each specified deliverable, as outlined in the final consultancy contract.